|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to the purchase of continued health insurance coverage by |
|
an eligible survivor of certain public servants killed in the line |
|
of duty. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Section 615.077, Government Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 615.077. PAYMENTS; RATE. An eligible survivor who is |
|
entitled to continued coverage under this subchapter [is entitled
|
|
to]: |
|
(1) is entitled to: |
|
(A) make payments for the coverage or have |
|
payments made on the survivor's behalf at the same time and to the |
|
same entity that payments for coverage are made by current |
|
employees of the employing entity; and |
|
(B) obtain [(2) purchase] the coverage at the |
|
[group] rate paid by current employees of the employing entity for |
|
that coverage; and |
|
(2) may not be required to pay a premium amount for the |
|
coverage that is greater than the premium amount that a current |
|
employee of the employing entity without a spouse is required to pay |
|
to cover the employee alone or to cover the employee and the |
|
employee's dependent children, as applicable to the eligible |
|
survivor [that exists at the time of payment]. |
|
SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 615, Government Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 615.080 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 615.080. LIMITED OPPORTUNITY FOR CERTAIN ELIGIBLE |
|
SURVIVORS TO REAPPLY FOR COVERAGE. (a) This section applies only |
|
to an eligible survivor of a deceased individual listed under |
|
Section 615.071 who died on or after September 1, 1993. |
|
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter |
|
or other law, an eligible survivor to whom this section applies who |
|
did not purchase continued health insurance benefits under this |
|
subchapter or under the law codified by this subchapter within the |
|
time allowed after the listed individual's death, or who |
|
discontinued coverage under this subchapter or under the law |
|
codified by this subchapter after the listed individual's death, |
|
may reapply for coverage under the employing entity's health |
|
insurance benefits plan not later than March 1, 2010. |
|
(c) An eligible survivor who reapplies for coverage under |
|
Subsection (b) is entitled to purchase the coverage according to |
|
the same rate schedule and coverage options as would apply had the |
|
eligible survivor continued coverage under this subchapter after |
|
the listed individual's death. |
|
(d) This section expires September 1, 2010. |
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |